The books are at your service. Seldens I bought because Corry
wanted to know something about Tithes [1] – but by the time I could find the
book he had forgotten his enquiry, & my memorandums (admire the English-Latin & singular plurality of that
word –) for a paper on the subject are now folded in the blotting paper whereon I write. May [2] you probably recollect by his Supplement to Lucan, a work of no common merit. his English poems are
quite Lucanic in style, & he caught the politics as well as the poetry of the Spanish Republican. they are both good as books, but
in price both flocci, nauci, nihili, fili. [3]

The Borja in my list you have sent under his princely title of Esquilache. [4] I am stupified with reviewing, & have at least thirty guineas worth to finish & send off by the
end of the month to Arthur Aikin. Some of the Voyages have compelled me to learn
something, & a book which a Scotchman (Mackenzie) [5] has written to say he has demonstrated the non-existence of a N.
West passage, has half convinced me that it actually does exist, for his facts directly contradict his inference. he goes to latitude
99 – sees the sea – & whales in it – & comes back & says he has disproved the NW passage. Quomodo
Diabolus [6] do the whales bear him out?

From the Memoirs of Lord Walpole shall I send you a choice Flos Coxeiana? [7] how Louis 15 [8] behaved when he heard that Fleury [9] had retired in disgust. the extract is from an official communication – “the King said nothing, but
with the greatest appearance of concern in his countenance, suddenly left the room & went to his own closet, where, to avoid
company coming to him, he retired to his garde-robe, & set himself upon the close-stool in a very sullen &
melancholy posture.” [10] The French cannot caricature – else what a subject!

I should like to know what you think of Despard [11] & the conspiracy. Wynn who was at the trial
thought it had deeper roots than were discovered. & that the accomplices were many. the evidence rather made me imagine that
Despard had been amusing himself with talking treason. of planning what might-be, treasonable castle-building, that he had been playing
with a halter till he was caught in the noose. I could have sentenced him for <found him guilty
as> a fool not as a traitor.

William Taylor is editing a Norwich newspaper [12] which will annoy Mr Wyndham [13] he wanted me to live there
& undertake the office. but if I ever chose drudgery of that kind it should not be for a country paper

In a week I clear off my reviewing. in three more finish Amadis, [14] & as soon after as may be will come up to finish my preface, carry
home my work, & receive my wages. If you look in the Morning Post [15] you
will sometimes see sundry indifferent verses, value one guinea per hundred according to the print reckoning of six score. There are
some notions floating about in my brain which may perhaps come to something good of that kind. – In Hamiltons [16] fire I lost – a
whole sheet of invaluable criticism – consumed as he told me “in the late tremendous fire which destroyed the whole of my extensive
premises.” what is worse I was going to ask for my account; he being my debtor some thirty guineas. I xx <am sorry for> him – & like the Dutchman I do pity myself!

[1] John Selden (1584-1654; DNB), lawyer and
historian who was a moderate Parliamentarian during the English Civil War. His The Historie of Tithes (1618) is not
in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library; Southey may have given his copy to Rickman. BACK

[2] Thomas May (c. 1596-1650; DNB), writer and historian, was a more extreme Parliamentarian who supported the
declaration of a Republic in 1649. Translations of Lucan’s Pharsalia, with the Continuation by Tho. May (1657-1659)
is no. 1830 in the sale catalogue of Southey’s library. The Roman poet Marcus Annaeus Lucanus (AD 39-65) was born in Spain and known
for his republican views. BACK

[15] Southey had started to
sporadically contribute poems to the Morning Post again. His most recent publications were ‘A True Ballad Of A Pope’,
Morning Post, 4 February 1803 and ‘Ballad From Gongora’, Morning Post, 19 February 1803. BACK